According to an article in the February 17, 2008 edition of the County Press, the Lapeer County Sheriff's Department is crediting the use of a TASER(r) electronic control device (ECD) for avoiding tragedy when a despondent man was attempting suicide with a foot-long butcher knife last Thursday in Metamora Township, MI.

According to the article, Lapeer County Sheriff's Sgt. Don Brady and his partner deputy Jeremy Howe were dispatched to assist the Metamora Police Department with a suicidal man on February 14. While Brady knocked on the door, Stone looked inside the trailer window and saw the man cutting himself with a knife. Howe kicked in the front door and the man was standing about five feet from them with a 12-inch butcher knife. Numerous other knives were scattered about the living room floor.

Howe had his sidearm drawn for officer safety and Brady drew his TASER device. Police advised the man to drop the knife, but instead of complying, he raised the knife and was dropped to floor by the TASER X26. Although the man wasn't injured, he was transported to Lapeer Regional Medical Center for a mental evaluation. Police found a suicide letter written by the man who later told officers he planned to kill himself because he and his girlfriend broke up.

"They're (TASER ECD) worth their weight in gold," said Lapeer County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Parks. "In the old days, many times officers had no other option but to use deadly force. These are life saving devices. Especially in the situation of person armed with a weapon during an attempted suicide. Our officers are endangered. He could have been killed. This is a good option that we never had before," said Parks.

"The use of a TASER likely saved the man's life," said Undersheriff Bob Rapson. "They're invaluable tools."

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